The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-11-18
A MONG0LIAN DAME.
"A CHINESE WIFE OF THE BETTER
CLASS IN NEW YORK.

A Visit To- Mrs. san Chong-How She
Employs Her Time In secIusIon-Hsr
Dress and Hou sehoid surroundings--But
Is Not Happy.
The moment she marries the Mongolian
damsel becomes the property Of her hus
banda little more so than they do in
America. Her spouse has the privilege, as
all husbands the world over 10 chide,
scold and chastise her for hes faults, and
they assert that, IN cases Of grave crime,
he has the right to kill her. Ia his punish
ment he may put her on what we would
call bread and water diet, keep her locked
up IN bedroom. closet or cellar or beat
her with his hands or bamboo rod. In
/ this respect the Chinese law is almost a
| fac simile Of the common law which
prevailed in England and this country
| until about 1895. and which allowed the
| husband TO correct his wife with
"the open hand or a hight rod, but not
with 1.-THE clenched fist nor club. '
| Under this custom the average almond
eyed woman expects TO be beaten with a
regularity proportional to her queued
| lords affection. and like the wives
of English "navvies, regards the omis
sion OF corporal punishment as sure evil
dence of the loss OF his love.
In New York the Chinese family lives
I'm the same fiat or building as that in
which the pater famliss does business
To 10 the wife is allotted one, two or three
| rooms, according TO his wealth From
these she practically never stirs. Either
her husband or servant does an the
marketing and shopping. Still worse. she
must not receive calls from the other sex
excepting in rare cases when the husband
presents an intimate friend On such an
occasion the visitor bows repeatedly
shakes his own hand vigorously for a
minute or two, utters the usual stereo-
typed remarks about the health OF her
self. family, cousin and friends, and de-
parts without having once looked at her
| face. Where Is the American who could
do that?
WIFE ~ HER BOUDOiR.
Lee Chick san Chong, a merchant Of
Mott street captured Boy my smiles. con-
scented 70 introduce me 10 his wife and her
boudoir, which I supposed would be as in-
teresting a. the woman. His store was
! IN the basement and his wife lived on the
first floor above followed ms guide
through dirty, uncarpeted hall 10 % door
az the farthest end He raped rather
vigorously with his knuckles ON the p0r-
! tai. which had no outside knob or latch
After while 70 was unlocked on the iu
sides he pushed sc open, and we stood on
the inside Almost In the rear OF the
room with some sewing in her hand,
stood the woman had come 90 see. She
smiled al her husband and looked at me
without fear or surprise but as a babe
looks at q new object before It's innocent
eyes Lee Chick San Chong spoke 90 her
Ia his peculiar language and then turn
ing t0 me- said. My wife Another
moment and the little brown fingers GOV.
cred with rings were clasped IN my gloyed
hand and we We're looking at each other
Is only two women can. What she SAW
is lcft FOB the Imagination, but this is what
ga1ed upon with interest.
4 little woman. not more than five feet
high. with the blacklist of eyes, which
were larger and more open than those OF
the average Chnamau. She had the
typical Monaghan face, with "a complex
ion that from the exclusion Of sunlight
resembled hleached golden wax. Her
blue black hair was combed back without
q part dressed over the ears like % hall
oyster she'll and down the back OF the
head in O. long 0blOng puff Gold rings
kept 10 All i'm place, but IL had the appear
auee OF being soaped 20 make 10 smooth
and still The forehead was extremely
high. and the eyebrows had a habitually
surprised curve The checks were round,
dotted with charming dimples, the nose
little inclined 10 hatness. but withal pi-
quaute. the teeth exquisItely white and /
beautifully shaped and the lips either I.
aruhcmliy dyed or naturally "a rich car /
mine With the air and look Of childish /
innocence. Mrs San Chong was not bad .
20 look ar
BEAUTY OF HER DRESS.
Bur her dress h is hard 10 describe 10
SO as t0 give an idea Of los delicate beauty
% was a light blue silken robe trimmed
with bands Of crimson silk. The upper
robe was made with flowing sleeves, which
disclosed similar white silk robe under
meath The skirt or petticoat Of plain
crimson was made precisely straight, and
touched the hOOr Her tiny feet, not /
covered with white silk hosiery, and In /.
serted in dainty Chinese slippers Of blue /.
six. embroidered Ga gold, with white satin F.
covered -ole~ Her arms were loaded /
with bracelets Of several kinds, and her
ears held rings of enormous size Her ,
silver thmblc. with which She had been
SEWN stu clasped ihe htfle brown
finger 10 was silver band worn on the
second joint Of the middle finger Mrs
san Cn0us moved around with % quiet
g,aco and ease that would be the envy Of
q FiftA avenue belle
Our conversation was limited, but Lee
Chick was q good English scholar and did
the trau-lnung He is teaching Mrs. san
Choug English. but che forgets. She
reads poetry. history and love stories and
spends AN her day alone her husband /
leaving in the morning and not returning
until evening She never visits, cannot (
be- induced o. quit her quarters. All her /
food is cooked By n servant in the store, /
aud her husband carries all the meals 20 /